Page 78 of Abducted

Lana’s scream tore through him. He shot to his feet. His boots splashed in the shallow water. The man stood about fifty feet away, but a small body hunched on the ground at his feet caught Cal’s attention.

Panic turned his veins solid. His chest ached with every breath. Cal pulled out his Glock and pointed it at his target. His steps slowed as he got closer. The man stood just feet away from Lana. Her face turned up to him, the porcelain of her skin reflected in the moon’s light.

“Let her go,” he breathed.

The man shook his head and looked down at Lana. “I’m sorry.” His hand trembled. Cal’s jaw locked. He held his hand steady, directed at the man’s head.

“Drop your weapon. This is your last warning.”

The man grunted. He turned the gun to his temple…and pulled the trigger. The man’s head snapped to the side, and Cal fired a second too late. Cal’s bullet connected with his chest, and he dropped to the ground like a bag of bricks. Without wasting a second, Cal rushed for Lana. His hands closed around her shoulders.

“Are you okay?”

Tremors racked her body. Her teeth chattered, and her lips shook. She nodded wildly. “I’m fine.” He pulled her against him. He ran his hands over her body, everywhere he could feel, searching for an injury.

She was frozen. The sweater she wore was heavy and soaking wet. Her hair hung in damp tendrils down her back. He pressed his face into her neck. His heart pumped in his chest. The steady rhythm reminded him he was here. She was alive. They were going to be okay.

Her body convulsed in his arms. “I can’t believe you’re here. You found me,” she said against his shoulder.

Her voice was small, unrecognizable. He smoothed his hands quickly over her back, trying to warm her. She pulled far enough out of his arms to look into his eyes. “How did you do it?” she whispered into the night. He wiped a streak of mud from her cheek.

He smiled. “You have my phone. Nate was able to trace it.” His lips quivered. “I was out of my mind, Lana. Losing you was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.” Tension ebbed through his chest as he took a deep breath. “Lana, I love you so damn much.” He ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

Her eyes filled with tears, and a soft laugh bubbled through her lips. “You have great timing.” Her lips spread into a slow smile. “I love you, too, Cal.” She rested her head against him, and he cradled her neck in his palm. “I thought I was going to die here.” She spoke slowly, as if it took great effort to form the words.

“Shhh. Don’t think about it, okay?”

She nodded and pulled away. Her shoulders wriggled uncomfortably. “My wrists are tied.”

He pulled the switchblade from his pocket, found the plastic zip tie and her wrists, and cut them free. She moved her hands to rub the area. He rubbed his thumbs over the cut on her delicate skin, then traced his own hands over her thighs and up under the sweater. “You’re freezing. Take that sweater off. I’ll give you my shirt.” He pulled at the hem of his shirt, but her hands stopped him.

“No, it’s okay. Let’s just get out of here…please.”

He nodded. His hand closed around hers. “You’re sure you’re okay? I heard shots.”

Her tongue came out to wet her lips. “I’m fine. Just cold. They did shoot, but they missed.” Her gaze shifted over his shoulder to the man’s body. “Is he…”

Cal nodded. “Yeah, babe. He shot himself.”

“You shot him, too?”

“Hell, yeah. I couldn’t take the chance of him turning that gun around on you.”

“And Grace?”

“I’m right here.” The chilly, self-satisfied voice sounded behind him. Cal whipped his head around. His senses tingled. There, before him, stood the woman he’d just rolled down the hill with. She held a gun trained on them. Lana gasped in his ear. Her body tensed in his arms. He pulled her tighter against him, shielding her.

Shouts sounded from above them. “FBI! Drop your weapons!”

A hard glint crossed Grace’s face. Her finger moved on the trigger. Cal threw Lana to the ground and came down on top of her. A shot rang out.

Voices screamed around them.

***

“Cal, are youokay?” Lana’s sobs filled his consciousness. Her hands ran over him. He pushed himself up to look down at her. The shot hadn’t hit him—or her.

Flashing lights filled the night. Bustling people came down the slope. Grace sat on the ground beside Shawn, a bullet in her shoulder.

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